On Sunday, I have visited our local wildlife park, hoping for some good pictures. I also wanted to look after their two lynx cubs. A few weeks ago, the newspaper announced that the female had two cubs. She gave birth in a hollow tree by the end of May and did not leave the nest with her offspring before early August. Two days later, a tragedy occured: While climbing the tree, she slipped and ended up with a broken neck in a branch fork. The two babies were immediately removed from their enclosure as it would have been too risky to leave them with their dad. They are now kept seperately, but in a cage of concrete and behind bars. There, they're all by themselves, and I'm feeling so sad for them. They've attached screens to the cage bars so they won't be disturbed by visitors, but I was able to see them from one angle and managed to take some pictures of them through several fences and from a great distance, hence the pictures are not that great because these were really difficult conditions. Here are the little orphans:

They're cute, but they also looked bored and depressed to me. I really hope they'll soon be old enough to join their dad in the big enclosure where's a lot of green grass and trees.

But there are also happier news! The meerkats, who moved in earlier this year, have babies, too, and I had the chance to see their mommy nursing them. This was really special as I have never seen something like this before!

They're cute, but they also looked bored and depressed to me. I really hope they'll soon be old enough to join their dad in the big enclosure where's a lot of green grass and trees.

Aww, so sad what happened to their mom! I wonder if her balance was just off because of her recent pregnancy. Poor kittens! Hopefully they can still grow up big and strong! I would love to play with them, I hope they give them appropriate toys, like things that move, so they can practice hunting skills like their mom would have taught them!

09-04-2013, 05:25 PM

Kirsten

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karen

Aww, so sad what happened to their mom! I wonder if her balance was just off because of her recent pregnancy. Poor kittens! Hopefully they can still grow up big and strong! I would love to play with them, I hope they give them appropriate toys, like things that move, so they can practice hunting skills like their mom would have taught them!

I was wondering the same, if her pregnancy might have weakened her. I haven't seen any toys in their enclosure, and I wonder how they will ever learn all the skills they need to have to live with other lynxes later in their lives.

09-04-2013, 05:53 PM

Karen

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirsten

I was wondering the same, if her pregnancy might have weakened her. I haven't seen any toys in their enclosure, and I wonder how they will ever learn all the skills they need to have to live with other lynxes later in their lives.

Hopefully the zoo staff will introduce toys - I know they have to be careful not to let the kittens imprint on humans, maybe they had toys where you couldn't see them. Zoos are much better nowadays about mental stimulation and stuff like that!

I love all the photos of course, just felt bad for the kits!

09-04-2013, 06:06 PM

Freedom

Great assortment of photos, Kirsten, thanks.

That is sad about the lynx cubs and their mom. Hope they soon get to be with the Dad.

Oh my seeing the nursing meerkats (or should that be meerkits?! Ha ha ha) made my day! I've never seen this either. Mom and babies all eat standing up - ready to run for cover I suppose.

Loved seeing the donkey -- I 'think' it is a Sicilian donkey - they have the black cross on the back.

So many good shots, well done and thanks for sharing with us!

09-04-2013, 09:23 PM

phesina

These are wonderful photographs, Kirsten.. utterly stunning. You really capture what is so distinctive and special and appealing about each of these kinds of animals.

I especially love the little orphaned lynx kittens (and join in the hopes and prayers that they will grow up big and strong, learning the proper lynx-skills) and the meerkats.. especially the family pix with mom standing to nurse the babies and the babies standing to reach the faucets!

Thank you, Kirsten! :love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love:

09-05-2013, 08:27 AM

kaycountrygal

Great photos! I enjoyed each one of them. I am sorry about the mother of the lynx babies; that's sad. I hope somehow they have some kind of enjoyment in their enclosure. Let us know when they are out in a bigger better area.

09-05-2013, 08:29 AM

lolli94

Those pics are awesome! Thanks for sharing!!!

09-05-2013, 10:49 AM

Casper

What a splendid park! So many adorable babies! :love: Those lynx cubs are downright adorable. So sad about their mum, though. :(

I think the photos of the wolves eating are marvelous. I bet that was a treat to see. I think the way packs work is so interesting.

Thanks for sharing!

09-08-2013, 03:44 PM

Kirsten

Well, regarding the little orphans... I hope you're right and they have some toys in their enclosure. As I said before, I couldn't see much of it. Anyway, I will keep you updated on the lynx babies. :)

09-08-2013, 04:42 PM

krazyaboutkatz

Great pictures as always. Thanks for sharing them with us.:)

09-08-2013, 07:01 PM

chocolatepuppy

Wonderful pictures! Thanks for sharing them! :) It's sad about the little lynx cubs. I hope they do ok.